10 Mac tweeters not to miss

Who knew that "140 characters or less" could change the way people interact? For many, Twitter has become an indispensable way to tap into breaking news and insights.

Beyond using searches and watching the trending terms to see what tweet topics are hot, the key to a happy Twitter experience depends on whom you follow. Whether you're just beginning to use Twitter or looking to add more voices to your stream, following the right people can turn seemingly random, unrelated tweets into a useful flow of news and commentary on favorite topics.

If you're a Mac fan, you'll quickly find that there are a lot of Apple-focused tweeters out there. As a Mac expert and aficionado, I thought I'd share a few who I've found to be worth my Twitter time. Here's a list of 10 tweeters, both well-known and obscure, whose Mac tweets keep me informed and engaged. In this list, a tweeter's popularity is less important than the usefulness of his tweets.

For those of you who are concerned about excessive tweeting, I've included for each tweeter in my list a "follow cost" (as determined by Followcost.com, which calculates the average number of tweets per day overall and the average per day for the last 100 tweets). As you might suspect, follow costs fluctuate frequently, but the numbers included here should give you a good idea of how many tweets per day to expect.

Andy Ihnatko's Twitter bio reads "Technology Pundit and Internationally Beloved Industry Personality," a description that's right on the mark. When Andy's not writing about technology for the Chicago Sun-Times, he can be found voicing his opinions about gadgets, software and everything else in technology podcasts and television appearances -- and, of course, on Twitter.

Well known for his fondness for Apple gear and for his offbeat sense of humor, Ihnatko was even accused of being the writer behind the Fake Steve Jobs blog before Dan Lyons 'fessed up.

What makes Ihnatko great to follow is the blending of his unmistakable style, humor and passion for the technology under his microscope. While his comments aren't always Apple-based, considering Ihnatko's status amongst tech geeks, he's worth the follow.

Follow cost: 8.52 tweets per day all time / 6.37 tweets per day recently

Recent tweets that have caught my eye:

Turning off notifications of your number of unread emails is like putting black tape over your "Check Engine" light.

I instituted a new music library policy today: when a CD attains Double Plus Love Status, I re-rip it as Apple Lossless.

It's 12 days after Apple's announcement and "iPad" is STILL a trending topic on Twitter. Apple just might have something here...

If you don't follow freelance tech writer and Web developer John Siracusa, then you've been missing out on some of the harshest, most meticulous, most thoughtful looks into Mac OS X as the operating system has evolved. Of course, while Siracusa is particularly well known for his thorough analysis and deconstruction of all things OS X, he's been known to publish a thought or two well worth reading on other topics.

Follow cost: 5.31 tweets per day all time / 4.37 tweets per day recently

Recent tweets that have caught my eye:

@codinghorror Mac Pros are high-margin, but they're also very nice inside and out. It'd take a lot of skill to build its match for less.

@jnack Also, I did say "If you need a reason to be optimistic about Adobe's Cocoa port of Photoshop, look no further than Lightroom."

Every iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad sold is another tiny arrow fired into the hulking colossus that is Flash on the web.

Daniel Eran Dilger is a San Francisco-based consultant who runs RoughlyDrafted, a Web site dedicated to analyzing technology, specifically as it relates to Apple. He's well known for calling out the tech pundits he disagrees with, and for his often lengthy and detailed analyses regarding anything that stems from the halls of Apple headquarters. From a dissection of Apple's server strategy to Ten Myths of Apple's iPad, RoughlyDrafted is a treasure trove of Apple information.

Dilger doesn't tweet as often as the others on this list, but when he does, it's usually a link to breaking Apple news or interesting commentary.

Follow cost: 0.99 tweets per day all time / 1.39 tweets per day recently

Straight from his Twitter bio: "Carl Berkeley writes a Mac Users Guide which offers the latest news, reviews, how-tos and expert opinions on everything Mac users need to know." That aptly sums up his tweets, which generally feature reviews, news, rumors, and useful hints and tips for Macs and other Apple products.

Follow cost: 4.65 tweets per day all time / 6.75 tweets per day recently

Recent tweets that have caught my eye:

Did you know you can use iChat to show a Keynote presentation, video or slide show? Learn more about this feature http://ow.ly/15u5x

Run by "a loosely assorted group of Mac managers and Macintosh business enthusiasts," 9to5Mac is a site dedicated to Apple rumors and tidbits. (Although 9to5Mac co-founder Seth Weintraub blogs for Computerworld.com, the site has no affiliation with Computerworld or its parent company, IDG.)

As the 9to5mac Twitter bio states, "We break Apple News," and that rather succinctly sums up most of the tweets. Other tweets cover deals on technology, Apple tech tips and tricks, and general technology news. If you're looking to be as up-to-date as possible -- and get juicy Apple rumors -- this is one account to follow.

Follow cost: 6.47 tweets per day all time / 14.39 tweets per day recently

Recent tweets that have caught my eye:

Just had a 30-min screencast of new Quicken for Mac. Looks nice but I'm spoiled by Mint.

This would be a cop-out entry if Macworld were not such an informative and useful feed for Mac users to subscribe to. But it would be a shame not to mention one of the best Mac tweeters on the grounds of its obviousness. (Macworld is a sister publication of Computerworld.)

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